Improvement in machines for flanging metal plates



W. E. BASSETT. Machine for Hanging Metal-Plates.

No. 221,438. Patented Nov. .11, I879.

Inventor.

N.PETERS, FHDTO LITHOGRAPKER, WASHINGTON. D C.

Unrrap STATES PATENT Garrett WALTER E. BASSETT, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO,ASSlGNOR 0F ONE-HALF OF HIS RIGHT TO PHILIP LOHR, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEME-N T IN MACHINES FOR FLANGING METAL PLATES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 2219138, dated November11, 1879; application filed March 12, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER E. Bnssnrr, of the city of Cincinnati, countyof Hamilton,

and State of Ohio, have invented certain new. and useful Improvements inMachines for Forming Flanges on Metal Plates, of which view of myflanging-machine. Fig. 2 is aview of that portion of my machine shown atG,

Fig. 1, and which is'immediately instrumental in nozzling or flangingholes in metal plates. Fig. 3 is a view ofthe central upright portion ofmy machine, showing the table for supporting and the devices forclamping and holding said plate in position while being flanged, andalso shows the former used in connection with the nozzler in flangingthe flue-holes. Fig. 4: represents a fire-box boiler-head, having acircular end and parallel sides, the distance between the sides beingless than the diameter of the circle of the end.

The frame of the machine may be clamped or screwed to a foundation or toa bed-plate, Q.

To the vertical supports P are attached the horizontal top pieces, p.Two dovetailed slideways are fixed upon the latter, or otherwiseproperly supported. Upon these ways move two slides, 12 each having adovetailed groove fitting over the dovetailed way, provided with racks RB. These racks are operated through the horizontal pinion-wheel S.

A slideway, A, is attached to each of the slides p and in each slidewayA moves a slide, A, supporting the circular slideways B. Each of theseslides A, as also the slide A attached to pinion S, and the slide A ofthe nozzling device, may be provided with a suitable device for settingeach one at any desired position in its respective slideway.

Power is communicated. to the machine 7 through shaft S, journaled inbearings properly supported. One extremity of this shaft .the frame.

' is provided with a beveled toothed wheel, S",

whichen gages twosmaller beveledgear wheels, S and S The gear-wheel S isprovided with a hub or journal extending down and rotating in a bearing,S located at or near the foot of A vertical shaft, T, is fixed in thisgear-wheel S by either a permanent connection or one capable ofconnecting or disconnecting said shaft and wheel at pleasure. The upperextremity of shaft T is adapted to receive my improved forming-tool fornozzling holes for flues, &c.

A sleeve or hollow journal, T, encircles a hollow shaft, V, and to it isattached at bottom .the gearwheel S and at top the gearwheel S. Thisjournal T rotates in a bearing, T properly supported by the frame orother means.

The table W is provided with orifice W, and is supported by a frame-workor web, W attached to the upper end of the hollow stationary shaft V.The shaft V and table are elevated and lowered by means of the cam oreccentric V and the collar or stud V, the latter being attached to theshaft V. This table W is stationary, so far as ability to rotate isconcerned, and is prevented from rotating by the pin K, preferablylocated at the end of shaft L, and inserted into slot K in the shaft V,thus allowing vertical motion of the shaft V and table W.

The clamp consists of an annular plate, X, connected to a frame-work orcage, X, the latter, in turn, being rigidly attached to X", providedwith a screw-thread, X and with a longitudinal slot, X in which is a pinor feather secured to the upper portion, Y, of the frame. A hand-wheel,Z, is provided with a hub rotating within a bearing in frame Y, andhavin g a female screw, which engages the male screw X of shaft X". Thishand-wheel and hub is retained in position in its bearing by means of apin orset-screw, Z, which is screwed through the bearing and enters agroove, Z",

,in the periphery of the hub.

The opening X in the plate X, and the opening W in the table W, and theshaft T, and the mechanism for rotating it, are provisions made toenable the nozzling or flanging of holes for flues, &c., to be done.

Whenever it is not expected or desired to flange holes, as well as theoutside edges of plates, these openings and the shaft T may be dispensedwith, in which event the hollow shaft Vdmay be solid and the gear-wheelS omitte To the upper side of pinion S is attached slideway A on whichmoves the slide A, which latter supports circular slideways B, in whichmoves theeircular slide B, provided with the curved rack B which engagesa spurwheel, B secured to the shaft L, which notates in bearingsconnected to the circular slideways B. On one of the outer ends of theshaft 0 is a pinion, B, into the teeth of which meshes the screw B",operated by shaft 0, which rotates in a bearing connected to thecircular slideways B, and is in turn operated by ratchet-wheel B, whichis intermittingly operated by the pawl l), pivoted to the head of leverD, swung upon shaft C, and extending above or below said shaft such adistance as that it will engage with the stud or flange D supported bythe machine, or otherwise, as desired, as the circular slide moves asfar as said stud or flange I).

The slides B, except in cases where they are employed for nozzling, areeach provided with two rollers, E and F, for flanging the plate. Each ofthese rollers rotates on a pin fixed in the slide B; or, when preferred,the roller may be provided with an extension, which extends into theslide B and rotates therein. These rollers are conical, and roller F ispreferably a little longer than the other, for the reason that thisincreased length of roller F enables it to better work around theoutside corner, which is gradually forming as the metal of the plate isbeing bent up to form the flange.

The roller E, when its outer edge is angular instead of round, is soplaced in relation to the slide that the lower corner farthest from thecircular slide shall be the center of the circle or circular path inwhich the slide revolves. This corner H is therefore always stationary,so far as the movements of the circular slide in its slidcway areconcerned.

When the outer edge of roller E is round instead of angular, the centerof the circle forming the round edge at the place of its contact withthe plate to be flanged should be the center of the circle or circularpath in which the slide revolves; and it is obvious from this positionof the rollers that the use of the circular slide is more practical inflanging straight edges than the trunnions which have heretofore beenmost generally used in flanging circular plates.

In the device for nozzlin g flue-holes, &c., Fig. 2, the roller F is soplaced that a point on the side 11' of the roller shall be the center ofthe circle or circular path in which the slide revolves. Where bothrollers E and F are employed with the slide, the lower roller, F, ispreferably provided (in connection with the slide) .with suitablemechanism for rendering roller F so adjustable that the space betweenthe faces of the rollers E and F can be increased or diminished atpleasure.

Should no device be provided for moving roller F, as above described,the same result could be obtained by means of different sizes of rollerF, which may be substituted.

The rollers E and F may be of the same size, and of uniform shape. Theymay be rectilinear cylinders; but, preferably, the shape and proportionsof the rollers are as follows: The smaller end of roller E is next theslide, and the larger end of roller F is next the slide. The object ofthus placing the rollers in relation to each other and the slide is toenable them to produce a flange which shall make an acute angle withthat face of the plate on which the flange is, or, in other words, leantoward the center on that face of the plate.

Such a position of the flange enables that portion of the shell of theboiler or vessel which is to be connected thereto to be driven over saidflange, and at the same time to keep a tightjoint between said flangeand shell.

Usually the table W will be suflicient to fully support the metal platewhile the latter is being flanged; but when desired an additionalsupport may be attached to portion I of the frame, and be provided witha clamp to hold the metal to said additional support, and also to serveas a gage to adjust or set the plates in proper position to be flanged.

When found desirable the intermediate gearwheel, 13, or it and theworm'wheel B, may be dispensed with. In case both are dispensed with thescrew B may be made to directly engage with the rack B In case thegear-wheel B is dispensed with the worm-wheel B would gear with the rackand also with the screw B".

While I prefer to employ the rack and the desired attendant mechanismfor operating the slide B, I do not wish to be understood as limitingmyself to this particular means of operating the slide, but claim, as animportant feature of my invention, the combination of the roller F orrollers E and F and the slideways B and slide B, irrespective of theparticular means employed to operate the slide B.

The manner in which my invention operates is as follows, viz: And,first, when the plate to be operated on is semicircular at one end andhas parallel sides, the distance between the sides being the diameter ofthe circle of theend, the roller F, which may be adjustable, is solocated with reference to roller E as that the space between them shallbe sufficient not only to receive the edge of the plate to be flanged,but allow the edge of the plate which is to be turned to be thickened asthe flange is being formed. I nextadjust the circular slides B, withtheir rollers, by means of the slides A and A and slideways A and A, andthe mechanism for setting them, so that rollers E shall be equidistantfrom the center of the table, and so far apart from each other that whenthe plate is placed on the table and inserted between the rollers E andF, the corner H of the allowed between the rollers to work (in circularflanges) into the flange the superfluous metal which is necessarilycrowded into the flange as the latter is being formed; thirdly, I avoidany necessity of putting a hole into the head whose outer edge is to beflanged.

The slides A and A if not already secured in position in the slidewaysAand A are now secured by the set-screws, or other device employed foradjusting and securin g them.

The table is raised and the rollers lowered until the circular face ofthe lower roller is on a line with the top of the table and the axes ofall the rollers point to the center of the circular table. Theboiler-plate is placed on the table with its edges between the rollers,back from the flat face of the top roller a distance equal to the depthof the flange to be turned. The clamp is then lowered by turning thehandwheel Z, thereby clamping the plate firmly against the table.

To provide against any possible slip or move, the supplemental supportfor the plate attached to portion I of the frame is used, and saidsupport is furnished with a straight sliding flange or clamp, againstwhich the bottom edge of the head may'rest and be clamped. Having theplate thus secured and in position, the machine is put in motion. Thepair of rollers whose slideway A is attached to pinion S is carried fromright to 'left and from left to right in a semicircle, so as to travelover the entire semicircular portion of the edge of the head, while thetwo pairs of side rolls are carried up and down the sides of the-head toand from the point of intersection of the semicircle of the end of thehead or sheet with the straight line of the side, while at the same timethe levers D, by striking against the projections or stud's'D cause thescrews B to revolve, they giving motion to .the worm-wheels B, whichtransmit their motion by the pinions B causing the quadrants or slides Bto move in their slideways B, and thus bringing the rollers to aperpendicular, which carry with them the edge of the plate, and soflangin g the two sides and the circular end of a firebox boiler-head.By turning the eccentric V the table is lowered, dropping the flangedhead clear of the rollers, leaving it free to be drawn from the machine.

In flanging fire-box heads having parallel sides, and the distancebetween them less than the diameter of the circle of the end, (see Fig.

4,) making it necessary to revolve the center rolls beyond a semicircle,throw the racks on the slides p carrying the rollers out of gear withtheir driviug-pinion S, and move these slides toward the front of themachine sufficiently to allow their driving-gear to be turned thenecessary distance beyond the semicircle without carrying the rollsbeyond the point of intersection of the straight line they generate andthe curved line generated by the center rolls, and the slide A whichmoves in a circular path, is set at such distance from the center ofrotation as shall enable the rollers it carries to flange the circularportion of the head.

Should the sides of the head be inclined toward each other at the bottomof the head, the slideways, upon which slide the slides 19, should bedrawn toward each other on the front end of the inachine. I am enabledto thus set these slideways by providing both ends of each withtransverse slots and set screws passing through the said slots into theframe.

In forming a concave flange, such as is' used on the hack-plates offire-boxes, it is necessary to reverse the position of the slide A inthe slidewa-y A upon pinion S, and turn it around to the front of themachine, and clamp the plate to be flanged on the supplemental support.

In making round heads, the rollers whose supports are attached to pinionS only are used, making a continuous revolution around the head, theother operations being as before described.

In nozzling or flanging flue-holes, it is first necessary to adjust theroller the proper distance from the center of the hole in theboilerplate, which is done by raising the roller to a perpendicular andmoving it out or in on the slideway A until the distance between itscircular face and the inside of the annular plate or former X is equalto the thickness of the metal to be flanged, making allowance forslightly stretching or thinning of the metal in turning the flange. Theroller F and slide B are then returned until the circular face of theroller F shall be on aline with the upper face of table W. The head thenbeing put in position, the center of the hole to be flanged beingcoincident with the center of the former or clamp, the latter is loweredonto the head, holding it in position, and at the same time serving as aformer for the outside of the flange. The machine being then put inmotion, the action upon the pawl and the movement of the circular slideis as before, and the roller F is moved with the slide B, and, pressingagainst that side of the plate opposite where the former X presses,operates in connection with the latter to form the flange.

\Vhere the straight sides only of a metal plate are to be flanged, thedevice for forming flanges on curved edges may, of course, be dispensedwith. After the operation of forming the flange has been completed andthe flanged plate removed, the slides B are returned to their firstposition, either by temporarily disengaging the screw B from its actionon pinion B, or in any other of the many ways in which suchdisengagements are commonly efiected. After the slide B has beenreturned to its first position the screw 13 will be caused to againengage in action with B.

What I claim as new and of my invention 1S 1. The combination of therollers E and F, adjustable circular slideways B, and the circular slideB, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. The eombination of the roller F, adjustable circular slideways B,circular slide B, and former or clamp X, substantially as and for thepurposes specified.

3. The combination of adjustable circular slideways B, slide B, rollersE and F and rack B pinion B, worm-wheel B", and screw B substantially asand for the purposes specified.

4. The combination of adjustable circular slideways B, slide B, rollersE and F and rack B pinion B shaft 0, worm -wheel B, screw 13, shaft 0,ratchet-wheel B pawl I) and lever D, and stud I), substantially asdescribed, and for the purposes specified.

5. The combination of the slides 12, provided with racks R, and slidesA, connected to said slides p circular slides B, provided withflanging-rollers, and driving-pinion S, and slideway A, attachedthereto, and its slide A, and circular slide B, provided withflanging-rollers.

6. The stationary table Wand clamp X, in combination with thelinear-moving Hangingrollers, substantially as and for the purposesspecified.

7. The stationary table W and clamp X, in combination with thelinear-moving Hangingrollers, and also the Hanging-rollers moving in thepath of a circle, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

8. The combination of the shaft T, pinion S, slide A, circular slide B,roller F and table W, and clamp and former X, substantially as and forthe purposes set forth.

9. The combination of the conical rollers E and F, the smaller end ofroller E and the larger end of roller F being next the slide B, for thepurposes specified.

WALTER E. BASSETT.

Attest:

J No. W. STREHLI, WILLIAM HOGAN.

